Siraj just lost his 'Head'

Mohammed Siraj gestures after dismissing Australia’s Travis Head in Adelaide on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

Mohammed Siraj is an excitable character. He is also hugely strong mentally, extremely resilient, with a big heart and a great attitude. He will need all these traits for the rest of this long tour of Australia.

The Australians like nothing more than installing one player from the opposition as public enemy No. 1. The process might not be taken forward by the home team as such, but they often light the fire and then sit back and watch it grow and grow. Siraj's send-off of Travis Head on Saturday, after the Australian had smashed 140, was reason enough to trigger outrage - from the batter himself, from the media, from the fans at the Adelaide Oval who were affronted that the local lad was at the receiving end of verbals.

Siraj should have conducted himself with a little more grace - after all, Head had just carted him for a four and a six - after messing up the left-hander's stumps, but no bowler, least of all a fast bowler, likes a good ball disappearing into the stands. Some of his pent-up anger or disappointment or frustration came out and while it might not have made for great optics, players are allowed to occasionally shed the automaton garb. After all, didn't Head too react in kind, provoked or not?

Grief-stricken four years back

Four years ago, on his first tour of Australia, Siraj was confronted with unspeakable tragedy. Back home in Hyderabad, his father succumbed to illness and the young man had a big decision to make - return to the city to be with his family, or stay back and serve the team. His mother urged him to fulfil his cricketing responsibilities, a message echoed by head coach Ravi Shastri. Alone with his thoughts and sorrow at a time when COVID restrictions prevented players from dropping into each other's rooms, Siraj found a way to cope with the debilitating situation, debuting in the second Test at the MCG and leading the bowling attack in the final game at the Gabba, a match India entered with their five-man bowling attack boasting a combined Test experience of four matches.

Also Read: Siraj stirs controversy with aggressive throw and no-look appeal: WATCH

His five-for in the second innings was responsible for India's target not extending beyond 328, which was heroically chased down with Rishabh Pant hogging the glory and Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara weighing in handsomely. Having come through the ultimate demanding time of his life unscathed, Siraj will handle this mini crisis too. He will be prepared for boos and barbs for the rest of the tour, but he will have his band of brothers on his side, with skipper Rohit Sharma in the forefront.

Skipper Rohit backs pacer

"He likes to get into the battle," Rohit remarked on Sunday. "It gives him success and as a captain, it's my job to back that aggression. Obviously, there is a fine line that we don't want to cross but having a word or two with the opposition is not a bad thing and he likes it, that's what gets him going. Siraj knows what he needs to do for the team. His job is to take wickets, he will do everything he can to try and get wickets
for his team."

Also Read: Monkeygate scandal to Gavaskar's MCG walkout: 5 ugliest India-Australia moments

India's Siraj fined, Aussie Head sanctioned too

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was fined 20 per cent of his match fee, while Australian batter Travis Head was also "sanctioned" by the ICC for indulging in a heated exchange of words during the just-concluded Test here. "Siraj was found guilty of breaching article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel," the ICC said in a statement. The cited rule relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal." The ICC said that Head too was "sanctioned" for breaching Article 2.13 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.